How To Find A Leak In A Pool Liner
If youve done a search for how to find a leak in a pool liner, chances are, you already suspect thats the location of the leak. Pool lines generally leak as a result of punctures, holes, tears or other damage. The most important thing to know about finding a leak in a pool liner is that it will require a lot of patience. Some evaporation is normal, but a leaking liner can quickly raise the water bill. Youll also find yourself spending more money on pool chemicals, which can result from filling your pool with untreated water.
Firstly, if you have an inground pool, youll want to perform the bucket test described above. Even if you already suspect the leak is in the liner, its still a good idea to rule out evaporation as a possible cause.
If you have already performed the bucket test, or if you have an above ground pool, you can turn to biodegradable dyes. The dye cant help you locate the exact source of the leak, but by slowly distributing the dye around the edge of the pool, youll be able to determine whether there is a spot that sucks in the dye quickly. If this is the case, then you can look more closely at that area to try to find the exact point where the leak is happening.
Water Near The Equipment Pad
If you find water near your pools equipment pad, it is important to inspect the area to verify that the water buildup is due to a leak. There are quite a few areas where leaks can occur at the equipment pad, including the valves, filter, heater, and the pump. Keeping the area under careful observation for a day or two will usually reveal the source of the leaking water.
How To Find The Leak In Your Pool
by Home Service Club | Sep 20, 2019 | Blog |
Whether its an above ground or in-ground pool with a vinyl liner, a concrete pool, or anything in between, eventually you may find yourself noticing decreasing water levels. Pool leaks can happen no matter what kind of pool you have, and knowing where your leak is happening can be half the battle for fixing it before your yard turns into a newly discovered marshland. Discover how to find a leak in a pool with these simple methods below.
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Common Signs Of A Leaking Pool
Water loss is the most obvious sign of a leaking pool, but are you able to recognize the other common symptoms? Watching out for these signs at your customers pools can help them get ahead of further damage and puts you in the position to he the hero that can solve the problem!
1. Water Level Changes
Dropping water level is the clearest sign a pool is leaking, but its important to determine if the water loss is due to evaporation or a leak. Evaporation rates vary depending on wind, air and water temperature, humidity, and other factors. Use our Evaporation Calculator to see the evaporation rate in your area based current weather data. Water loss in excess of that amount indicates that the pool is leaking.
2. Cracks or Falling Tile
Because the surrounding ground is becoming unsettled by the presence of excess water, cracks and tile movement are more likely to occur when a pool is leaking. Cracks or gaps in the bond beam may occur as the pool settles farther into the softened ground.
3. Wet Spots in Yard
Soft, mushy spots or uneven grass growth around the pool area may indicate a plumbing leak. Erosion due to water movement underground can cause landscaping to shift and sink.
4. High Water Bills
Automatic fill devices can hide leaks by keeping the pool filled. If you notice the autofill running constantly or increased water bills its time to start investigating for a leak.
5. Water Under Equipment
6. Air or Dirt Blown Into Pool
7. Algae Growth
What Is The Difference Between A Concrete And A Gunite Pool
Concrete pools can be referred to as gunite pools, but what’s the difference?
Shotcrete pools are pools where the builder has the concrete mixed with water before and during the application. Concrete or shotcrete in this instance refers to wet mix concrete like concrete trucks. This may require someone to pour the concrete and is common for pool construction.
Gunite is concrete that is dry until applied. The builder would mix sand, cement, and water at the nozzle of a high-pressure applicator and spray the concrete. This is a highly durable material once cured. Again Gunite doesn’t require water until the pool installation crew is ready to spray the pool.
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Does The Pool Leak With The Equipment On Or Off
If the leak only happens when the equipment is turned on then it may be a pressure-side return leak. When the filter pump is on check the pressure side to see if there are small drips or sprays. Take a look at the waste or backwash line to see if the water is consistently running. Also, take a look for any wet spots in the yard or on the side of the pool where the plumbing returns water to the pool.
If the pool is leaking only when the equipment is turned off this generally indicates a suction-side leak or a leak in the pipes that bring water from the pool. This type of leak will make your pool lose water more quickly than normal. Its a good idea to use a marker or tape to keep track of the water levels.
Finding And Fixing A Pool Leak
Pool leaks can occur anywhere in or outside your pool. Before searching for a leak, make sure you check your entire filter system area, including the pump, filter, heater, chlorinator, etc.
If you have an in-ground pool, leaks can occur by cracked piping underground. If you suspect this, call a local pool professional to pressure test the lines for possible cracks.
Before you start searching for the leak, you must determine that you have a leak and are not losing water to evaporation. We recommend the bucket method for determining whether or not you have a leak, its simple and cost-effective:
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Check The Pools Equipment
Before you do any other swimming pool leak repair, check all of the pools equipment first. It could be that your filtration system or heater simply has a leak, or a pipe has cracked. Pool leak detection starts with actually determining if you have a real leak or are simply losing water due to evaporation or faulty equipment. You can easily determine if its evaporation through the bucket method .
Position The Bucket In Your Pool
With the bucket almost fully filled with water, place it in your pool so that the water in the bucket is level with the water in your pool. Use your pool steps to position this just right. The reason for having the bucket slightly above water level is to emulate the air movement similar to that from the edge of the pool walls.
Note It may also be necessary to place something heavy into the bucket in order to hold it in place.
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Fixing The Skimmer Leak
You can easily repair cracks in your skimmer body by using an underwater epoxy mix known as Pool Putty. You may use this on the front three sides of the skimmer, where it meets the concrete pool to fill in the gaps and cracks.
When using Pool Putty, you need to chip out all the loose or cracked material, mix equal parts of resin and hardener with pool water, then roll it into a snake. Push the putty in place and thats it. You may also pack in new plaster at the interface of your skimmer and concrete pool wall to seal up the area again. Ideally, plaster mix is very easy to work with because all you need to do is add and stir it to a spreadable consistency and apply it to the area with a putty knife.
Regardless of how big or small a leak in your pools skimmer is, remember that pool leaks are always worth your attention. They do not only waste your precious treated pool water, they can also lead to other issues such as rusted pool walls, sandy pool floor, and erosion if left untreated.
If you need a pool company for your pool leak detection needs, call us at Nelson Company at 941-256-4079. Our pool professionals will get your pool back in tip-top shape again.
In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view How Do You Find A Leak In The Skimmer Line? on my YouTube channel:
Tips For Finding Skimmer Leaks
The purpose of a pool skimmer is to catch the larger debris from your pool water as it begins to circulate through your filtration system. Since a huge percentage of your pool water flows through the skimmer as it makes its way to your filter, a leak in this part of your pool poses serious problems to your property. If you have a gunite pool, you can find the skimmer encased in concrete within your pools bond beam.
If you keep on topping off your pool because its water levels are constantly dropping, then you know that the issue is not merely water evaporation due to the summer heat but a pool skimmer leak. If you suspect that your swimming pool has this problem, dont fret. These leaks are easy to fix as long as you detect them early and your pools skimmers are not yet physically damaged. Most leaks coming from the skimmer are easy to fix because they are only caused by the skimmer pulling away from the concrete.
Before we discuss the actual steps in finding leaks in your skimmer, here are a few things you need to remember:
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How Leaks Are Found In Underground Pipes
The plumbing systems are an important part of your swimming pool. They are what carries the water from your pool to be filtered and puts it back in once its clean. The part that takes water from the pool and transfers it to the filter is the Suction System. Once filtered, the Pressurized System carries the water to the pool and the Return Lines push it back in.
Dont Settle For A Pool Leak
Over time, a pools structure and plumbing are bound to have issues. When they are taken care of immediately, they wont accumulate into a big, expensive problem in the future. Our plumbing experts at New Canadian Drain & Plumbing are happy to discuss issues both large and small. Our mission is to provide a full array of plumbing services to all of our valuable customers. Call us today for all of your Toronto plumbing needs 416-651-2990 or contact us here.
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How Do I Know If I Have A Pool Or Water Leak
If you suspect your pool is leaking, there are several ways to verify it. Mark the water level in the pool with a skimmer. Use a piece of tape or a greased pencil to mark the water level. Check the box after 24 hours. Your pool should not lose more than 14 inches per day. Otherwise, a leak is indicated.
How To Conduct The Bucket Test
If you conduct the bucket test and the water lost in your pool always matches the water lost in the bucket, then you can conclude that your pool does not have any leak and that your pool water loss is just a result of evaporation. If you use a solar blanket at night to cover your pool, expect your pool water to dramatically decrease due to water evaporation.
Note:
When you conduct the bucket test, it is best to record the weather patterns during that particular time period. These patterns include the outside temperature during the day and during the night, as well as the cloud cover and the amount of wind that you have. You also need to note if it rained or not, as rain may invalidate your bucket test results.
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How To Find A Leak In An Above Ground Pool
One of the most difficult tasks, even for experienced pool leak detectors, is learning how to find a leak in an above ground pool. Above ground pools have their own specific set of challenges to keep in mind. Although it is very easy to repair a leak in an above ground pool, they can be nearly impossible to find.
We suggest examining the pool equipment first. Turning on the pool pump makes it easier to spot the problem because it places pressure on the leak. While youre working on the pump, make sure to look at the areas around the pump. You should try to locate the shaft seal which is 2 pieces, a head with a spring and a ceramic ring. The purpose of the shaft seal is to prevent water from seeping along the shaft and draining out behind the impeller. A leaking shaft seal may also be directing water into the ground, so its a good idea to pat the nearby area to check for signs of moisture.
If the leak didnt originate from the pump, how do you find a leak in an above ground pool? Start outside of the pool. Examine the base of the pool to try to locate any wet spots or visible cracks. Next, its time to suit up! Grab your goggles and hop in to check the inside of the pool. Go slowly and look carefully to see if you can spot an area with water loss. If you cannot find the leak, its time contact a pool leak detector. In many cases, a leak detector can help you save money by preventing you from replacing the pool liner unnecessarily.
Is The Pool Leaking Only With The Equipment Off
This usually indicates a suction-side leak, or on the pipes that bring water from the pool. With the filter pump on, the plumbing on the suction side is under vacuum. Air can be drawn in through otherwise leaking voids. You may notice air in the pump basket , air bubbling out of the return lines, or air repeatedly built up inside the filter tank. Use tape or a pencil to mark water levels.
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Leaks In The Pool Plumbing Or Equipment
Leaks in the Plumbing. Its rare, but if you determine that the leak is in the pool lines you now have to determine which pipe is leaking. You can plug off the skimmer and run the pool on the main drain only, or the other way around, in a process of elimination.
If the pool stops leaking when all of the lines are plugged, you can remove plugs, one by one, from skimmer, main drain and return lines, to see if the leak starts again. With the pump not running, leaks in a return line will slow down, and sometimes stop leaking all together, whereas on a skimmer or main drain line, they may leak more when the pump is off. Sometimes, a skimmer or main drain leak will draw air into the pump, while the pump is running.
Leaks in underground pipes are rare, but they do happen. To determine which line it is , a process of elimination can be used to isolate different lines. Pressure testing individual pipes can determine with certainty which pipe is leaking. Sometimes it is easier to replace the line which is bad rather than trying to pinpoint the exact location.
Patching Pool Leaks: Small tears or rips up to several inches in length can be patched with a vinyl patch kit, or you can use a flexible liquid sealer, that squeezes out of a tube. Small leaks in vinyl liners or pipes can be fixed using Fix-A-Leak.
This process of elimination can take many days, so boost up your chlorine level and brush and skim the pool each day to maintain the water quality.
Repairing Underground Pool Pipe Leaks With Pipefuze
Your leak detection has indicated that there is a leak in a pipe that runs under your patio. This isnt uncommon. If the pipe meets the criteria for sealing with a 2-part coagulant, you can get to repairing underground pool pipe leaks with PipeFuze. First, lets see what the leak is all about.
Youll have to isolate the line to test how much pressure its holding:
This means both ends of the pipe have to be accessible. Youll have one side of the pipe plugged and the other side will have a pressure rig attached with a pressure gauge that will indicate how much pressure is escaping the pipe. By adding a reasonably small amount of pressure, just 8-12 lbs, you get the gauge to hold steady and watch the needle drop.
How much pressure is it losing?:
If your pipe is revealing that the loss of pressure is in the range of 5lbs or under over the course of 30 seconds, you can start repairing underground pool pipes with the 2-part Pipe Fuze liquid set.
Circulating Part A:
See the process below:
Circulating Part B:
How long is it going to last?
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